


Swapfell 1/2

by Teddy_Feathers



Category: Swapfell - Fandom, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), But surfacing was recent, M/M, Multi, Ranma 1/2 au, Swapfell Papyrus (Undertale), Swapfell Sans (Undertale), Trans Male Character, chewn isnt a word i know and i apologize now but its staying, like three years ago, post pacifist surface, uncreative title
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 06:16:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19806409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teddy_Feathers/pseuds/Teddy_Feathers
Summary: Elliot is an introvert. Well. More of a shut in really.He lives in his own little world and maybe that's why he didn't know - well. He'll find out soon enough.One rainy night a dog follows him home and in a weird twist it seems the dog will be keeping him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based of unholykrow on tumblr's prompt "Au where Mutt can turn into a dog but only when he gets wet and it also depends on the temperature of the water."

"I don't know what the pet policy is at the apartment complex but you're probably too big."

The poor thing looks like one of its ears has been chewn off, its covered in mud, and is giving him the biggest, saddest eyes Elliot had ever been at the receiving end of.

Elliot however is made of stern stuff. He tells the dog no, stay, and has a nice long winded debate about the fact that he isn't even all that energetic and would not make a good owner even if he _was_ allowed to keep him.

Dog just follows along, making sad huffs and wagging its curved low tail every time they make eye contact.

"This is my stop, you cannot come with me." Elliot says as firmly as he can. Maybe he would have gone through with it, leaving the waist high _bedraggled_ beast out there to fend for itself, if lightning hadn't flashed bright and close across the sky chased by a boom so loud he could feel it in his chest.

The dog, as if it was unaware it was half his size and weight, yelps and dives under Elliot's legs.

"Ah no!" He struggles not to get knocked over, grabbing a hand full of fur - distressingly enough when he's regained his balance there's still a clump if fur left in his hand.

The dog leans heavily against him, trembling.

Elliot can't do it - he can't. " _One_ night." He says absolutely positive this is a bad idea no matter how sensible he's trying to be. He'll get _attached_ and it will all end in _tears_.

It's harder to make it to the door and get it open with the dog clinging to his every move, but once he does the beast darts inside and shakes, wetness spraying over everything and a rattle of an unseen collar.

Maybe he had an owner to call? The thought is almost a relief.

Not sure how well wet dog would navigate the stairs, Elliot calls the elevator while the dog noses around, sniffing the fake potted plant by the mail boxes and sneezing loudly.

"Godzilla." Elliot replies, glad its just him and the dog with no one else around to judge him. When the door opens the dog goes in without prompting and sits nicely while Elliot plugs in the floor.

Waiting is boring but the dog is still looking at him with those big sad eyes and the tail curled round its feet wags hesitantly every time he glances down like it can _tell_ its winning him over.

It's a relief to finally be free of the death trap and lead the way to his apartment. Of course his neighbors talking to someone in the hall. Maybe if he pretends its just luggage they won't notice.

"Is that a dog?" The girl squeals much to everyone's displeasure - including his neighbor who apparently didn't like sharing his girls attention.

"No its a suitcase!" He snaps without looking at her and shoves his keys into the door.

The dog luckily seems just as nervous of the new people as Elliot is, and he's able to get in and shut the door just as the girl says, "Rude, what was _his_ problem?"

Elliot locks the deadbolt and then turns to watch the dog that's just sitting there watching him politely waiting for directions.

"My problem," He says to the dog conversationally as he shrugs off his rain coat and shoes, "Is that I, am an idiot."

The dog just wags its tail smearing wet fur and mud across the carpet. Absolute adoration with little to no effort on his part. "You know, if I were as cute as you nobody would ever be mad at me either."

Leaving a pile of his wet outer things on the welcome carpet he'd placed there just for that purpose, Elliot walks through his main room in just his underwear and undershirt. No use leaving _more_ mess to clean.

It is an undeniable hassle that his bathroom is only accessible through his bedroom, but it wasn't like he had people over.

Still he has to call the dog away when it gets sidetracked sniffing at some dirty laundry on his floor. Once in the bathroom proper he knees down and the one remaining ear perks up despite it's natural flop as he reaches out a hand.

After a moment the dog sniffs at it, and huffs its approval; tail just a wagging. Permission granted, Elliot starts to pet him.

The fur is thick, probably black under the mud but that could just be because it's wet. It leans into the petting hard enough that if Elliot jerked his hand back, it'd fall over.

This close and with better lighting he almost wants to say the dog's technically bigger than him. Its not that its over fed though - its just broad across the shoulders. Some sort of work dog, not a pit though so far it had the same sweet temperament.

Elliot brings his other hand up, absentmindedly saying all the soft things that people say when they find themselves in good enough fortune to love on a big sweet smart brave pooch. There - blending in and mostly covered by the heavy fur around the beast's head and neck- is the collar. He keeps petting with his other hand as he follows it around for the tags he had heard rattling earlier.

Vaccination tag - current- and A Name and address! "Bingo." Elliot says softly at once both relieved and disappointed.

The dog really was too big for his apartment.

"So Mutt, you ready for your bath?"

The dog doesn't respond to the uncreative name, half dozing from the continued affection. Going based off previous experience with his Aunt's schnauzer, the best thing to do would be to move fast and then hold on.

So that's what Elliot does.

One moment he's ruffling the fur on either side of the dog's neck, and the next he's lunged forward to grab the dog around the middle.

The dog is _not_ happy about this but the scrabbling for the floor is not enough against his knowledge that if he lets go he _won't_ be able to pick Mutt back up again. He's ridiculously heavy.

They make it into the tub, both panting and Elliot scratches at his ear apologetically other hand firmly clutching the collar.

"Sorry buddy, but you're filthy." One last pat and he starts setting everything up. Mutt keeps panting but doesn't try and pull free which Elliot is grateful for.

If the dog really wanted to make an issue of it, he probably couldn't stop him.

The spray nozzle is pulled down to hang, and Elliot turns on the water, hot but on low. Mutt doesn't jerk. "Good boy, you're doing so well." He praises adjusting the settings until he's sure it wont scald them.

Then he pulls the nozzle and the sprayer engages.

Elliot tests it on his back at first, but Mutt doesn't so much as twitch. He glances back to make sure the drain is open and the hair catch is suctioned to the porcelain because he does not want to snake the drain after this...

And when he turns back to the dog there isn't one.

At first he thinks the dog's turned into a skeleton. It has, just not a skeleton _dog_.

Elliot's eyed follow the crouched body - a _person's_ body not a dogs - back to where his hand was white knuckled on the collar. Then up a little to the face.

A face where two pairs of dark sockets stared back.

To say the sockets were empty would be misleading. They were filled with an inky blackness that had the same weight of expectation that the dog's had.

Elliot looks back down and yes that is the same collar that the dog had, though it's a lot looser on the skeleton then it had been on the dog.

There's a bit of mud on the shoulder and it catches Elliot's attention like a lifeline.

He raises the sprayer and rinses it off.

Almost mechanically Elliot keeps spraying off the visible dirt off the bones like maybe if he ignores this sudden inexplicable nightmare things will go back to normal. No fur goes down the drain and the skeleton shifts with a noise he's never heard before but can't help but to identify as the sound of bones shifting against one another.

"So you're just going to keep washing me then?" The voice isn't what he was expecting- _he doesn't know what he was expecting because dog's don't become skeletons that can talk_ \- but the mellow whiskey voice isn't it.

It makes him very aware of how unnaturally high his voice is when he shoots back, "Well can you wash yourself?"

The man - skeleton - dog - person huffs out a laugh that's enough like the dogs huff that it's unnerving. "Yeah."

"Alright then."

Elliot doesn't know exactly how he had gotten into his bedroom, leaning against the other-side of the closed door but he stays there a good long time listening to the water run and trying to process the missing time- as if it were more important than the not dog in his bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to go ahead and say yes Guy is a guy, a trans guy. I mention this mostly because I will be commenting on things that are relevant to that fact, though the story isn't about Guy being trans. Or having terrible taste in names. 
> 
> This is self indulgent and I wanted to see more male characters in these sorts of fics, and more transmen in general so here I am creating my own content.
> 
> My other works will be updated eventually for those who care however I do write a lot, just rarely on the same story so I'm going ahead and posting what I have.


	2. Chapter 2

Later, though not much later, when they’re both dressed in his clothes and been fed the only thing in his cupboard that he was emotionally able to make - Apple Jacks - when the rain outside dies down and Elliot is straining from not staring at Mutt while Mutt stares openly back at him; the silence is finally broken by a knock on the door.

Elliot jumps, and tries to make it look like he was just eager to get the door.

“Well if its the superintendent, at least there’s no dog for him to find.” He says trying for bright but just sounding high pitched with nerves. Mutt huffs a laugh, and for one wild moment he thinks _'at least someone appreciates me’_ before remembering Mutt isn’t actually a dog and the super would probably be more freaked about the living skeleton just sitting there.

Bracing himself he opens the door, customer service smile faltering in the face of another skeleton.

They stare at one another before something like weary resignation crosses his face and he makes a noise that sounds enough like clearing his throat that social protocol training kicks in.

“Oh I - I’m s - can I help you?” Elliot stutters out.

The skeleton brings himself up to his full height - a good head and shoulders smaller than Elliot- and nods. “Yes, I am sorry to disturb you so late but my dog and I were separated in the storm and I managed to track him here. A helpful and not entirely sober young lady outside seemed to think you might have found him?”

Elliot’s… at a lost for words. He spoke so professionally, and was wearing clothes to match - a dark suit under a gray ankle length coat and a plum red scarf tucked under the lapels - and _other_ people could see the him?

He sighs and takes a step forward and Elliot lets go of the door to take a matching step back.

“You see, she was unclear on the apartment number but the description of the man is close to yours and I have had a long night even before I started going door to door like a common sales person.” The skeleton takes another step forward and loosens the tie at his throat, lights that almost match the scarf roaming around Elliot’s apartment.

“So I really would like to just collect my dog and go home. Have you seen him? He’s a black Newfoundland wearing a collar with my name on it - I can show my ID if you need conformation.”

The skeleton looks back to Elliot who stops staring to jerk his own eyes towards the couch in the main room but - the room was empty.

No skeleton.

No dog.

“Well?” The skeleton demands testily, obviously losing patience.

“I - well yes, I’m sorry, I-” The confession startled out of him halts because he’s actually afraid to say the words _'I’m sorry but I think I accidentally turned your dog into a skeleton, like you only bigger, is that normal or did I break him?’_ To another apparently well off skeleton who looked like the sort to sue him for damages or something.

The skeleton rolled his eyes and put two fingers in his mouth, whistling sharply.

There’s a huff from Elliot’s bedroom, and the jangle of a collar along with a distinctly shaking noise, before the big black dog from before came trudging out. He perked up, tail wagging like a black flag, and he looked cleaner and fluffier than before.

Elliot stares at the dog, mouth open, completely shocked as the skeleton man checks him over. “Towel dried.” He murmurs and even though its not a question Elliot tries to latch onto some sense of normality.

“Y-yeah, he was uh pretty wet? And uh, sad looking? I was going to call in the uh morning after I saw the tag.” The skeleton looks back over his shoulder skeptically. “It’s just really late? He’s uh he’s definitely too big for my apartment.”

The anxious laugh is echoed by Mutt’s huff, who is still a dog and not a seven foot man wearing Elliot’s clothes which had been both too wide and too short for him.

The dog nudges into the chest of the still a skeleton that isn’t a hallucination and gets shoved away instead of more soft pets. “Yes, alright, enough of that Mutt.”

The dog subsides, sitting politely like he had in the elevator, doing the same hopeful wagging when he catches Elliot staring.

The other skeleton turns and pulls out his wallet. “Alright how much do I owe you.”

That at least shocks Elliot out of his stupor.

“Uh no?”

“No.” He repeats flatly, expression beginning to become cross. Suppose a Elliot that dresses like that doesn’t get told no very often.

“I just watched him for a couple of hours, its not something I need to be paid for.”

The skeleton looks him over, suspicion hardening the sockets but Elliot was too baffled over just how expressive he was to have anything to hide. After a few moments where they stare at each other - too fascinated by the mobile expressions to feel awkward over the whole thing - the skeleton finally comes to some resolution.

He puts away his wallet and pulls out a business card, shoving it at Elliot who fumbled but manged to take it. "Fine, here's my card should you change your mind."

Taking one last look around Elliot's small apartment, the skeleton patted his side and Mutt got up and followed him into the hall.

Before he closed the door behind them, he could hear the skeleton talking to the dog as they left - much as he had on the way here. "I don't know why you do this to me Mutt, you know I hate owing people - and don't even think about lecturing me about walking being good for my health!"


End file.
